Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Home Blog Page 4946

Another miller slashes mealie meal price

4

ANOTHER miller on the Copperbelt, Antelope Milling, has reduced by K3,000 breakfast mealie meal price following the recorded bumper maize harvest during the 2009-2010 farming season.

And the Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) has urged other millers in the region to emulate National Milling Company (NMC) and Antelope Milling in reducing the price of mealie meal.

Antelope Milling managing director Emmanuel Kaldis who confirmed the development in an interview yesterday said a 25 kilogramme bag of breakfast will sell at K52,000 at the plant and K54,000 retail on the Copperbelt.

“Since the president of Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) has already taken the
position of reducing prices on mealie meal, it is also important that millers do the same. So as Antelope we are effecting the price reduction effective tomorrow (today),” he said.

Mr Kaldis who said roller meal would continue trading at K33,000 appealed to Copperbelt residents to ensure that they did not pay more than the stipulated prices on his produce and report any dubious activities to his staff.

ZACA acting executive director Samuel Simutunda said his association was happy that millers had listened to its calls to reduce mealie meal prices.

Mr Simutunda expressed hope that millers would further reduce prices on mealie meal once the maize floods the market following the bumper harvest.

[Times of Zambia]

Lubinda challenges Police to explain why Deputy Minister was allowed to move with a Gun

145
Dr. Solomon Musonda, Deputy Minister of Health

The opposition Patriotic Front PF Party spokesperson, Given Lubinda has challenged the Zambia police to tell the nation why a senior political official, Health Deputy Minister Solomon Musonda was allowed to move around with a gun when it is not acceptable by the law.

Dr. Musonda who is also Chitambo Member of Parliament on Tuesday shot and wounded a suspected PF cadre who is currently admitted to the University Teaching Hospital.

Police spokesperson Bonny Kapeso yesterday confirmed the incident. “Yes, I can confirm that we have received a report of a shooting incident in which Dr Solomon Musonda, Health Deputy Minister shot and wounded Jackson Musaka, 25, on the left side of the forehead,” Kapeso said. Mr kapeso also confimed that the police had retrieved the pistol, which was allegedly used.

The incident happened around 17:50 hours in an area called Lubembe within Serenje district. According to eye witness, Dr Musonda open fired at a group of youths that blocked the road he was using. According to the youths, Dr Musonda was not supposed to be using the road that was repaired by youths as he had failed to repair it in his capacity as area MP.

‘Govt wants to silence M’membe’- Sata

PF Leader Micheal Sata

Patriotic Front (PF) president, Michael Sata says the conviction of Post editor-in-chief Fred M’membe on contempt of court was predictable because government has always wanted to silence him.

Mr.M’membe was this morning found guilty by Lusaka Magistrate David Simusamba for contempt of court together with the Post newspapers in connection to an article authored by US-based Zambian professor Muna Ndulo titled “The Chansa Kabwela case:A Comedy of Errors”.

But Mr Sata said that the MMD have always wanted to silence Mr. M’membe.

He said the court’s guilty verdict for the Post editor-in-chief was expected,adding that there is nothing strange about it.

The PF leader noted that the MMD government has made it clear that they wanted to silence the Post newspapers and Mr Mmembe.

Meanwhile a PF cadre who was shot in the head by Health Heputy Minister Dr Solomon Musonda in Chitambo yesterday has been rushed to the University Teaching Hospital for specialist treatment.

Jackson Musaka was transferred to the UTH today were he was immediately rushed to the theatre to be operated upon.

And Sata has questioned why government is protecting Dr Musonda who he said is dangerous person.

Mr Sata said Dr Musonda is a danger to the society and described the shooting incident as unfortunate.

The Health Deputy Minister shot the victim who was in the company other suspected PF cadres after they allegedly tried to attack him.
[ QFM ]

Briefs: Zambia Beat Angola, Warriors-Zanaco draw.

16

Zambia this afternoon beat Angola 1-0 in a friendly international played at Independence stadium in Lusaka.

The two sides were level at 0-0 in the first half in the match that marked former Zambian coach Herve Renard’s first international meeting against his ex-team since joining Angola in April.

Zambia secured the win through a 79th minute goal scored by Zanaco striker Makundika Sakala.

Meanwhile, in the Super Division, Zanaco and Kabwe Warriors drew 0-0 in a delayed Super Division week 2 match played at Railway Grounds in Kabwe.

However, the result does little for Warriors and Zanaco’s standing on the log who are  remain in 7th and 12th place until this weekend’s matches.

[standings league_id=15 template=extend logo=false]

Mmembe found guilty of contempt

118
The Post's editor-in-chief, Fred M'membe
The Post's editor-in-chief, Fred M'membe

Post Editor-in-Chief Fred Mmembe has been found guilty of contempt of court together with the Post Newspapers by a Lusaka magistrate court.

This is in the case in which Mr Mmembe and the Post newspapers are charged with contempt of court arising from an article authored by US-based Zambian Professor Muna Ndulo titled “The Chansa Kabwela case:A Comedy of Errors”.

In the allegedly contemptuous opinion piece, Cornell University Professor Muna B. Ndulo described the process against Kabwela as a “comedy of errors” and wrote that the obscenity case, which was widely decried as a politically motivated attack on the newspaper, was detrimental to Zambia’s image abroad.

Section 116 of the Zambian penal code criminalizes speech or writing that could prejudice opinion regarding an ongoing judicial proceeding.

The matter came up for judgment this morning before magistrate David Simusamba. In delivering judgment Magistrate Simusamba said the defence by Mr Mmembe that he was on leave at the time the article was published could not be considered by the court because he was the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper.

In November last year, Mr Mmembe described his case as a tactic used by tyrannical regime against press freedom.  “Contempt of court is a charge that has been used by tyrannical regimes the world over against press freedom,” M’membe told the International Press Institute at the time. “We hope the judicial process will handle the case in a manner that preserves and promotes press freedom.”

Magistrate Simusamba has since reserved sentencing to Friday June 4,2010 at 09:00 hours.

Chibwe questions Veep Kunda’s sanity

25
Vice president George Kunda listen to proceedings during the Luapula province consultative meeting.

United Party for National Development (UPND) Secretary General Winstone Chibwe says Vice President George Kunda’s thinking capacity is letting him down.

Mr. Chibwe alleged that the medical examinations that were carried on Mr. Kunda in South Africa were not complete.

Reacting to the vice President’s statement that the MMD will continue to hammer on the UPND, and that the UPND has lost most of its members to the newly formed ADD party, Mr. Chibwe questioned Mr. Kunda’s sanity.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chibwe says the Vice President should stop concentrating on the progress of the UPND because he is not the party’s Secretary General. He added that the Vice President is not even a UPND cadre hence he must concentrate on how the country can be developed.

He said the fact that Mr. Kunda and the entire MMD have been talking about the UPND all the time is a sign that they are losing ground.

[Q FM]

‘Kambwili’s statements on Luanshya mine lack merit’

CHINA Non-Ferrous Metal Company Luanshya Copper Mines (CLM) public relations officer Sydney Chileya has said Roan Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili’s statements on the mine’s operations should not be taken seriously by members of the public because they are inconsistent and lack merit.

And Mr Chileya has dismissed as malicious Mr Kambwili’s statement that the CLM management had limited the miners salary increment to three per cent.

Mr Chileya said in an interview yesterday that if members of the public studied Mr Kambwili’s statements carefully, they would discover that they lacked consistency.

Mr Kambwili was quoted by a radio station as saying the Chinese investors running CLM were exploiting Zambian employees by paying them what he called peanuts.

“Mr Kambwili is a kind of a man who today says that he is against Chinese investment and the same man will tomorrow say that there is nothing wrong with the Chinese operating mines in Zambia .The media can bear me witness when it comes to this issue.

“The mine management and the representatives of the Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) and National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) have been holding salary negotiations since April.

“They have not concluded the talks, so what is the basis for Mr Kambwili’s statement. He should tell us the context in which he is saying this,” he said.

Mr Chileya advised all stakeholders to give time to the parties involved in the salary negotiations to conclude their work.

And Zambia Chamber of Mines general manager Fred Bantubonse said his organisation was not ready to comment on Mr Kambwili’s statement, which was yesterday aired by some sections of the electronic media.

In the statement, Mr Kambwili suggested that Chinese investors running CLM were exploiting their Zambian employees by paying them what he called peanuts.

“The Chamber of Mines has a policy of not reacting to political statements made by political players,” Mr Bantubonse said.

MUZ and NUMAW officials said they would not comment on Mr Kambwili’s statement because they were still negotiating over salaries with the mine management.

They advised Mr Kambwili and other stakeholders to respect the laws governing the collective bargaining process.
[ Times of Zambia ]

Chiluba has no respect for Taskforce

Frederick Chiluba .

Second Republican president Frederick Chiluba has said he has no respect for the outcomes of court cases handled by the Taskforce on Corruption because they were heavily politicised.

Speaking through his spokesperson, Emmanuel Mwamba, Dr Chiluba said apart from the cases being politically instigated, they were also targeted at certain individuals.
“[pullquote]The foundation of these cases were political because they were selected and targeted at certain people.

“They were targeted at the former president so that they can diminish his political standing but all the allegations against have been proved otherwise,” Dr Chiluba said.[/pullquote]
The former president was commenting on sentiments by some stakeholders that following the conviction of MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba, Dr Chiluba was equally liable to a conviction.

A Zambian law academician, Michelo Hansungule was yesterday quoted in the media as saying the conviction of Dr Kalumba should bring back Dr Chiluba to the dock.

Dr Chiluba maintained the investigations by the Taskforce were a political witch-hunt targeted at certain leaders in his administration to silence them politically.

He, however, said he had respect for the Judiciary.

“The foundation of these cases were political because they were selected and targeted at certain people.

“They were targeted at the former president so that they can diminish his political standing but all the allegations against have been proved otherwise,” Dr Chiluba said.

An impression was created among the citizenry that Dr Chiluba had abused public resources but the court proved that the former head of State was innocent.

The lesson to be learnt from his acquittal was that the law enforcement agencies should be allowed to operate without any interference from the Executive.

With regard to the Taskforce, he said to begin with, it was an illegal entity that reported directly to the president.

It would have made sense if legal investigative wings investigated the alleged plunder as opposed to the Taskforce.

Dr Chiluba said he respected the Judiciary but emphasised that the judicial process should not be tainted with illegalities and political interference.

“We respect the Judiciary but this process was tainted with illegalities and underhand methods from the beginning.

“It is important that the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) condemns any activities that undermine justice,” Dr Chiluba said.

LAZ had a duty to protect the integrity of the entire process and not to only urge the citizens to respect the outcome of the court process.

“Justice begins from investigations, arrests and the court process,” Dr Chiluba said.
[ Times of Zambia ]

IG Kabonde reacts to calls for his resignation

Inspector general of police Francis Kabonde (R)

Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde has said he will not resign from his position despite calls for him to do so.

Speaking through Deputy Police Spokesperson Moses Suwali, Mr. Kabonde said government still needs his services as Inspector General.

He said he liaised with Home Affairs Minister Mukondo Lungu who told him that government still needs him in the police service. He added that those calling for his resignation are misplacing their wishes which he described as political.

And Mr. Kabonde has said government has already given answers to people’s calls that he resigns for his alleged failure to manage the Zambia Police Service.

He wondered why people have continued demanding for his resignation on grounds that he has no capacity to handle the Police Service.

Earlier, Zambia Police Deputy Spokesperson Moses Suwali told a Q fm reporter that the Inspector General of Police refuse to give interviews to the press. He said whatever information members of the press wanted from him can be given out by the Public Relations office.

On Monday, UPND Secretary General Winstone Chibwe called for the resignation of Mr. Kabonde on grounds that he has not only disappointed Zambians, but also the international community on his failure to manage the Zambia Police Service.

And on the same day, the Zambia Youths Association in the Fight Against Corruption called for Mr. Kabonde ‘s resignation on grounds that he has lamentably failed to inspire confidence not only in his staff at the police service, but also in the Zambian citizens at large.
[Q FM]

MMD’s NEC to decide Katele’s fate

THE National Executive Committee (NEC) of the MMD will determine whether national secretary Katele Kalumba should resign from his position or not, party national chairperson Michael Mabenga has said.

Speaking in an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Mabenga said the issue of whether Dr Kalumba should resign from his position or not would only be determined by NEC and advised outsiders to desist from commenting on the matter that was purely internal.

“This is a NEC matter and I don’t know how many times I am going to talk about it. The NEC will soon meet and it will be discussed, it’s only NEC that can determine such a matter,” Mr Mabenga said.

Last week, the Lusaka magistrate court jailed Dr Kalumba to five years imprisonment for corrupt practices. Dr Kalumba has since appealed against the conviction and sentence.

Owing to the conviction, some stakeholders have been calling for Dr Kalumba’s resignation from his party position or that the MMD should force him to step down.

Mr Mabenga said that most of the people calling for the resignation of Dr Kalumba were in fact not members of the party.

He, therefore, wondered in what capacity such individuals were speaking considering that they were not even members of the MMD.

“We are not concerned with the sentiments by the people who are not even MMD.

This is a party that is governed by a constitution and these people talking do not even know what they are talking about.

An individual cannot determine this matter. NEC is composed of 58 people and they all have to sit and discuss,” Mr Mabenga said.

Many of the stakeholders talking about Dr Kalumba’s resignation, Mr Mabenga said, were not even aware of the MMD constitution.

He said that the party would not make a decision based on complaints from some individuals or non-governmental organisations but would strictly follow the constitution.

[ Times of Zambia ]

Zambia Face Angola in Wednesday Friendly

5

Zambia faces Angola tomorrow in a friendly international at Independence stadium in Lusaka.

The match is part of the two team’s build-up to their respective CHAN qualifying games this Saturday.

Zambia hosts South Africa while Angola, now coached by Herve Renard, are away to Malawi on the same date.

Renard and his Angola team have been in Zambia since Sunday where they have set up a training camp in Lusaka en route to Malawi to face The Flames this weekend whom they are tied at 1-1 from the first leg played in Luanda a fortnight ago.

Zambia on the other hand trail South Africa 1-0 from their first leg match.

Renard has said the result of the warm-up match will not be important but that the objective of the friendly was to help gel the players ahead of both teams’ crucial must-win games this weekend.

“It is not a competition tomorrow, the result is not important but only for the training and we will use a lot of our players and to help get Zambia and Angola to get the qualification (To CHAN) on Saturday,” Renard said.

Renard said he was looking forward to facing his old assistant George Lwandamina who is in charge of the CHAN team with whom he won bronze with at the inaugural tournament in Cote d’Ivoire last year.

“He (Lwandamina) was a very good assistant for me and I think we did a good job and I am happy to see him in charge of the team and am sure he will get qualification (Against South Africa) at Nkoloma stadium,” the Frenchman said.

We should not discriminate the married from the unmarried, says Milingo

46

Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo with his wife
At 80, Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo may be running out of steam. His walk is a bit laboured and his breath is somewhat raspy. Some puff also seems to have gone from his cheeks, but his conviction, he says, has never been stronger.

The controversial priest and self-proclaimed healer on Sunday presided over the consecration of two deacons within his Married Priests Now church.

The archbishop, who shot into international fame in 2006, when he publicly challenged the relevance of celibacy in the Catholic Church believes he has fought a good fight and that his years of struggle will soon bear fruit.

“Everywhere I go, I am received with love by people of all faiths. They love and understand what I stand for,” he told the Nation yesterday during the ordination of Victor Kimemia as a deacon.

Mr Kimemia’s faith lies within the African Orthodox Church of Kenya, which does not allow the ordination of married priests.

“God’s word is for all of us. We should not discriminate the married from the unmarried,” argues Archbishop Milingo. “In His eyes, we are all the same,” he said.

Despite his excommunication five years ago, he says there’s no love lost between him and the Roman Catholic Church.

“They said I came from a family of witchdoctors and that I falsely proclaimed to be a healer. They did not know I talk to God directly,” he told the Nation.

Despite his self-professed love for the Roman Catholic Church, the Archbishop’s public call for an end to mandatory celibacy in 2001, punctuated by his very public marriage to a doctor of acupuncture from Korea, was rejected as an embarrassment.

Healing ministry

Upon the insistence of the Vatican, he set aside his marriage and returned to his healing ministry in Italy. His disappearance and return, seclusion and subsequent restriction left many questions unanswered.

Following his marriage, Archbishop Milingo says Pope John Paul II summoned him to the Vatican, where he had to promise not to see his wife anymore, and to move to a different monastery.

“Of course I protested. For 43 years as a celibate priest, I only knew God as a male. Now, through my union with my wife, I have come to see the other side of God’s heart, which is female,” he says.

After the separation, his wife, Sung went on a hunger strike in protest. They reunited in 2002. After courting controversy in his twilight years, the archbishop says he does not regret the choices he has made in life.

About himself, Archbishop Milingo says: “I don’t want to be put on a pedestal. I lead a simple life.”

Does he believe that priests should be allowed to marry?

“When I ordained my first married priests, I went on my knees and asked God to tell me whether ordaining married priests was wrong. He said ‘nonsense.’ I knew I had made the right decision.”

[DAILY NATION]

National Milling Corporation slashes mealie meal prices

55


National Milling Corporation NMC has announced price reductions in its mealie meal products. NMC has reduced the price of roller meal by K5,500 price and breakfast mealie meal by K2,500 in Lusaka.

The price of National Milling mealie meal is however expected to remain slightly higher for consumers in far flung areas due to the transportation costs. The price of mealie meal for the Copperbelt has been pegged at K32, 000 and K59,500 roller and breakfast mealie meal respectively.

The price reductions are with effect from tomorrow, 2nd June 2010. NMC managing director, Peter Cottan told journalist during a press briefing in Lusaka today that his company has not been able to reduce mealie meal as per government directive because they still had 15, 000 tonnes of old maize stocks and will only commerce buying the new maize today, 1st June.

Mr Cottan explains that NMC always stocks up maize to last the company up to June the following year. Meanwhile, Mr Cottan has disclosed that he has already sent a team of NMC experts to source which markets they could easily offload its stock following the bumper harvest that the country has recorded in this year.

He however says Zambia will have to be very competitive in all its trade exports of maize because the South African maize traders Also fighting for the same market.

And Mr Cottan has recommended the k65,000 per 50kg bag of maize set by the Food Reserve Agency FRA and has challenges farmers to take advantage of this opportunity.

QFM

We don’t need alliance to win 2011 polls – VJ

58

PARLIAMENTARY Chief Whip Vernon Mwaanga says the MMD is strong and will win the 2011 general elections without entering into a pact with any party.

Mr Mwaanga said the MMD does not need to be in alliance with the United Party for National Development (UPND) or any other party to scoop next year’s general elections.

He said the MMD is not panicking like other parties because it has massive support across the country.

Mr Mwaanga said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that whether or not the MMD forms an alliance with another party, it is confident of winning next year’s elections.

Mr Mwaanga said the party is disappointed with the statement by Chilanga member of Parliament Ng’andu Magande, who accused him of implying that the party cannot win next year’s elections as it wants to be in an alliance with the UPND.

Mr Mwaanga said the MMD is not lobbying to be in an alliance with the UPND, but that it is the latter that wants a partnership.

He said the fact that he delivered a message from some UPND members in Southern Province who prefer their party to form an alliance with the MMD does not mean he is championing the idea.

“I was merely delivering a message from some UPND members from Southern Province who said they prefer an alliance with the MMD.

“I don’t understand what Mr Magande is talking about when he says President Banda and his leadership cannot win the elections without an alliance. We are still a strong party and we do not need to be in an alliance with another party to win next year’s general elections,” he said.

Mr Mwaanga said the statement by Mr Magande is malicious, adding that he should desist from wrongly interpreting statements.

He said Mr Magande, whom he described as an amateur in the political arena, should be mindful of the statements he makes.

Mr Mwaanga said he was taken aback by the statement Mr Magande made, adding that he is behaving like an opposition MP.

He said it is saddening that some MMD members with personal agendas have developed the habit of attacking the top leadership.

“I am extremely disappointed with Mr Magande’s remarks…I expected that to come from the opposition and not a member of my party,” he said.

Mr Mwaanga said the party is not short of people with leadership skills, adding that members who no longer agree with the constitution and policies of the party should resign.

Mr Magande was quoted as having said Mr Mwaanga has admitted that the current MMD leadership of President Banda has failed to run the country and cannot win the 2011 general elections.

He said Mr Mwaanga’s comments that the people of Southern Province prefer an MMD-UPND alliance as opposed to UPND-PF pact revealed lack of confidence in the MMD.

Meanwhile, Government has described as unnecessary the decision by Zambia Sugar Plc to report Chief Mwanachigwala of the Tonga to the police over his alleged threats to burn the company’s cane fields.

Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that government’s findings revealed that the reported threats by the chief were stretched beyond context because the matter was conclusively resolved.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha, who is Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, was reacting to a story in The Post in which the company has reported the chief to police over his alleged threats to torch the company’s cane fields if it continued conducting business with the Mazabuka District Business Association.

“As Government, we are happy that this issue was conclusively resolved and we see no need for further concerns by Zambia Sugar Plc,” he said.

Lt-Gen Shikapwasha said contrary to allegations, Chief Mwanachingwala’s guidance during the meeting called by concerned contractors and suppliers in Mazabuka recently was one of progress.

“The chief meant no harm in his guidance during the meeting,” he said.

Lt-Gen Shikapwasha said the chief merely sought to amplify the need for the company to ensure that there was equity and fairness in its business dealings with all the contractors and suppliers of goods and services.

He said the meeting was about advancing the interests of both Zambia Sugar and the residents of Mazabuka in deriving maximum benefits from the important investment.

“The chief’s remarks were about Zambia Sugar spreading business opportunities to all contractors and suppliers in the district as part of its social responsibility,” he said.

He said Government was informed that a meeting was held last week involving the district commissioner, members of the Mazabuka District Business Association, concerned contractors and suppliers and Zambia Sugar at which the issue of contracts was discussed.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Illovo Sugar to focus on expansion projects in Zambia and Swaziland

6

Illovo Sugar was set to focus on capitalising on large-scale expansion projects in Zambia and Swaziland, MD Graham Clark said yesterday, after scaling back its South African production due to declining profitability.

“Just over two years ago we decided to expand outside SA because the returns and margins in other parts of Africa are more attractive. We’re now seeing it start to flow through to the business, with strong increases in both cane and sugar production.”

A major expansion programme in Zambia resulted in factory capacity enabling sugar production of 450000 tons per year, and Illovo acquired a large cane-growing company that produces 325000 tons of cane a year with the potential for more.

Zambia contributed 18% of group operating profit in the year to March — well behind the 42% contributed by the Malawian operation, but ahead of SA’s 17%. “Eventually we see our top three operations being Malawi, Zambia and Swaziland, with each putting in about 25% of our profits,” Mr Clark said.

Swaziland contributed only 8% of operating profit in the period , but Illovo had begun a project there that would increase sugar production from 220000 tons to more than 300000 tons a year, together with a biomass-fuelled power plant that would enable the factory and estates to become self- sufficient while supplying power to Swaziland’s national grid.

“Power tends to be costly and unreliable in Africa, so generating our own means we’ll be able to control a big input cost,” Mr Clark said. “The other leg is to open up a new revenue stream, although it’s too early to say what the contribution would be there.”

A greenfields project in Mali was expected to contribute 200000 tons to Illovo’s annual production when it came into full operation in “three to five years”.

The domestic operation contributed revenue of R3,45bn in the year to March — more than double the company turnover in any other single country. But it brought in an operating profit of just R255,3m, justifying Illovo’s decision to cut back its investment in the division. Illovo has sold its operations on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal and the South African business became a stand- alone subsidiary in April.

Total group cane output in the 2009-10 season was 6,1-million tons — an annual increase of 1- million tons despite the negative effect of heavy rainfall in Zambia and SA. Sugar output was 1,69- million tons, more than 100000 tons up on the previous year.

Illovo benefited during the year from high international sugar prices, which reached a 28-year high thanks to poor harvests in Brazil and India. It also saw increased profits from exports to the European Union, which in October ended tariffs on sugar imports from developing countries.
[Business Day]